Terrible Tuesday for ‘Toba

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This article was published 25/02/2009 (6298 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

VICTORIA —- It was 0-for-Tuesday for the Winnipeg teams here at the 2009 Scotties Tournament of Hearts.

Team Manitoba’s Barb Spencer was beaten twice — 12-4 by B.C. Tuesday morning and 10-7 by New Brunswick Tuesday night — and is now all but eliminated from playoff contention heading into today with a 2-5 record.

But as bad as that went, perhaps the most shocking news involved the other Winnipeg team in the event, Team Canada’s Jennifer Jones.

Jones entered the day with a 5-0 record and looked every bit like the defending world champion heading into games against Saskatchewan’s Stefanie Lawton and Yukon/NWT’s Kerry Galusha.

But when night settled on the B.C. capital, Jones looked battered and beaten after a disastrous day that saw Lawton steal a 7-6 victory over Jones in the morning and then Galusha shock everyone in Canadian curling with a gutsy 10-8 win over Canada Tuesday night.

If there is a silver lining this morning it is this — things could not possibly go worse for the Winnipeg teams here today.

But the pressing question is will things go better?

"Kerry played great, she had a great game," said Canada third Cathy Overton-Clapham. "We had opportunities, we just couldn’t capitalize.

"We got outplayed both games today. This morning, we got outplayed in the first five ends and tonight Kerry played great."

Galusha did make some great shots and had perfect draw weight. She outshot Jones 76-74 per cent, although overall Canada outshot Yukon/NWT 80-77 per cent.

"We weren’t as sharp as we needed to be today," said Jones. "I missed a few shots here and there. It just didn’t go our way today."

Dropped

The losses dropped Canada’s overall record to 5-2, putting them in a tie for second with Quebec’s Marie-France Larouche heading into today. Both teams are a game behind B.C. (6-1). Jones plays Quebec this morning and Newfoundland this afternoon.

Manitoba’s Spencer, meantime, plays P.E.I. this morning and Ontario this afternoon, but it may already be too late regardless of what happens for the Spencer foursome here today.

With a record of 2-5 coming into today, Spencer already has more losses than usually get you into the playoffs at this event, although she remains technically still alive.

"I’m very disappointed right now," Spencer said Tuesday night. "I don’t understand why we’re letting things slip away from us.

"It feels bad. You work hard and play well to get here. We had a good provincials… And we’re finally catching on to the ice here and one end gets away from us. It’s like we cannot get a break."

Tuesday night’s loss to New Brunswick turned on a five-ender in the ninth end, made possible when Spencer was too heavy with a freeze attempt.

"We really needed to win that game tonight," said Spencer. "We’re behind the eight ball now."

Galusha, meantime, had to be the happiest 2-5 skip ever at this event after the win over Canada.

"They’re the best team in the world," said Galusha. "I’m friends with all of them and they’re such great curlers and I hope they win this."

Galusha said it was the biggest win of her life and the first time she’d beaten the defending champion in six trips to the Scotties.

 

paul.wiecek@freepress.mb.ca

 

 

Standings

(after 9th draw)

Province (Skip) W L

B.C. (Mallett) 6 1

Canada (Jones) 5 1

Alberta (Bernard) 4 2

Quebec (M.F.Larouche) 4 2

Saskatchewan (Lawton) 4 3

P.E.I. (R.J.MacPhee) 3 3

N.L. (H.Strong) 3 4

Ontario (McCarville) 3 4

Manitoba (Spencer) 2 4

New Brunswick (Kelly) 2 4

Nova Scotia (McConnery) 1 5

Yukon/NWT (Galusha) 1 5

 

TUESDAY RESULTS

British Columbia 12 Manitoba 4

Saskatchwan 7 Canada 6

New Brunswick 10 Manitoba 7

Yukon Territories 10 Canada 8

 

TODAY’S GAMES

Draw 12, 9:30 a.m.

Quebec vs. Canada

P.E.I. vs. Manitoba

Draw 13, 2 p.m.

Manitoba vs. Ontario

Canada vs. Nfld./Labrador